Half a Century on, this Seminal Work on Piobaireachd Continues to Educate and Entertain

By The Editor Fifty-five years ago Seumas MacNeill, then Joint Principal of the College of Piping, began work on a book which was to open a thousand eyes and ears to ceòl mòr. ‘Piobaireachd – Classical Pipe Music of the Great Highland Bagpipe’ was a BBC-commissioned publication. Below is an advert it ran in an October 1968 edition of Radio Times, it listings magazine. It reads: ‘Piobaireachd , the classical…

News from Over the Water – Closkelt Concert/ Ulster Entries Down/ Blackthorn Pipers/ Cleland Celebrate Bunting/ Matt Boyd and Prince Charles

March 26th saw Closkelt Pipe Band take to the stage of the Market Place Theatre in Armagh for a concert promoted by the band. Compère on the night was radio presenter Rab Lennox of ‘Big Rab Show’ and BBC ‘Kintra’ fame. Headlining the show was the host band itself led by Pipe Major David Chesney and new Leading Drummer Brendan McGoran and they gave a glimpse of some of their…

Editor’s Notebook: AG Lochnell Championship/ Capt. John Contest/ Clan Maciver Tune/ Lorient Festival

The Argyllshire Gathering’s Intermediate Championship 2022 will be held at Lochnell Castle near Oban on October 22. Eight leading young professional pipers will be invited to compete for what has already become a sought after title. Last year’s winner, Andrew Ferguson, Dollar Academy, is pictured second left above. Styled after the Glenfiddich Championship for senior pipers, the Lochnell requires a submission of four Piobaireachd and four MSRs the winner in…

Pipe Band News from Across the Water – P/M Terry Tully

The headline news from last month was the announcement by the Dublin-based St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band that Terry Tully, a member of the band since 1973 and their pipe major from 1984 until 2013, had retired from both the band and competitive piping in Grade 1. While he had handed over the role of pipe major to his son Alen in 2013, he had continued to play with the…

Scottish Pipers Association Professional Contest 2022 Entries Open

We are delighted to announce that entries for the 2022 SPA Professional Contest, held in person on the 30th of April 2022 are now open, writes President Logan Tannock. Entries for each event will be strictly limited to 20 competitors so we recommend early registrations to guarantee your place. All entrants will need to create a membership on the SPA Website, and life members should contact gary.nimmo@scottishpipersassociation.co.uk to process their online membership….